Final fantasy eight word challenge!
by darkangelrawr
Summary: A collaboration between myself and PromiseInTheRain, each chapter is themed around a different randomly selected word, you do not have to red one chapter to read the next. This is my first collaboration and the first time PromiseInTheRain had uploaded a story onto here so plese rate and review : Rated T just in case for later chapters. Also many characters will be used...
1. Chapter 1

**Final fantasy 8 word challenge!**

**For those who don't know a word challenge is where a bunch of words are randomly selected and the writer has to create a short story themed around that particular word. On this website I've met a really awesome person and she is known on here as PromiseInTheRain. This person never fails to make me laugh, she supports me with all of my writing and we've had many conversations about this game, she also hasn't yet posted a fan fiction piece due to her computer and so being huge fans of the Final fantasy 8 game we decided to collaborate. This first chapter is not written by me but by PromiseInTheRain so please make sure to give her the credit she deserves, the word she has been allocated is dream, I really hope that you like it as much as I do…**

**Dream: (N****o****un), A str****o****ngly desired g****o****al ****o****r purp****o****se. A series ****o****f th****o****ughts, images and sensati****o****ns occurring in a pers****o****n's mind during sleep.**

**Verb: Experience dreams during sleep: "I dreamed about her last night"**

I need to get something off my chest…

Until recently, I couldn't remember a thing about my childhood. The funny thing is, I didn't even realize or care. Nothing out of the ordinary until someone brought it up.

I had a dream the other night…

It was very enlightening. I dreamed about a sorceress. There was something about this woman of power that, in my dream state, struck me as familiar, a very distant familiarity. I felt that I had been in her presence before, and yet this woman was a complete stranger… Or was she?

Dreams, as they say, are based off of some sort of truth, and I admit, I believe every word of that.

For a mind to create a world completely out of nothing… it's all very unreal. Every dream holds some sort of desire, and underneath that, a memory.

So for me to have seen this woman before makes complete sense. So why is it that I didn't know who she was?

Anyway, more on that later. Back to this dream I had. The woman didn't say or do much at all. All I could remember after waking up, was that she had called me a child and I woke up contemplating the word.

Of course, my first thought was that it was an insult, and that I should shrug it off, but something about that particular word choice hit me deeper.

I tried to think back to my own childhood, but I didn't seem to have any memory of it, nothing at all…

For all I knew, I had just magically dropped in out of nowhere and I knew that couldn't be right!

That's when it hit me, I remembered the woman's face, and very vividly. You tell me, when was the last time you remembered someone from a dream so clearly they could have been standing right in front of you?

I knew I had to have known this woman. I thought long and hard on where I had seen her before and all of that thinking lead up to a single word…

_Matron._

Strangely enough with that one word, I started remembering other words. Matron. Sorceress. Edea. Orphan. Garden. Cid…

Nothing made sense, but somehow I just knew they were all connected. So what did I do? I found out everything I could from the Garden Library about Sorceresses.

It took a while, but I finally found a book that mentioned 'Edea.' Soon after that, I found out where I could find her, and in a matter of days, I had escaped to Timber, attacked President Deling, and come face to face with the sorceress.

That was my dream…or half of it anyway.

She made me feel so futile in her presence,like an insignificant pawn, however, my dream was becoming a reality right before my eyes.

I knew everything she was going to say before she said it. She seduced me into coming forward and soon after that I remembered everything.

Sorceress Edea. Matron Edea. She had raised me as a child in an orphanage before I moved to Garden so I could train to become a SeeD under Headmaster Cid. Suddenly everything was crystal clear and for the first time ever my life and purpose made sense.

My mind was my own again, and I understood that Matron was in danger, people were afraid of her because of Adel. The last sorceress, who began the sorceress war that killed so many people.

People would try to kill Matron to stop her from causing another war, and…I couldn't let that happen.

You see, the thing with dreams is, they're always based off of a hidden desire. It's not always easy to tell, in fact, in most cases it takes a completely focused and trained mind to tell the difference between desire and whatever else dreams are made of, but I've finally pieced together what I want out of life.

My name is Seifer Almasy. I want to be a sorceress' knight. It's my dream.

And my dream will become a reality as I protect Edea from the world and Adel's powers…


	2. Chapter 2

**Final fantasy 8 word challenge!**

**A/N - Hey everyone, so I'm hoping that you read the first chapter of this project written by my good friend PromiseInTheRain and now we're back to me, so my word is knowledge and the pairing in this chapter is Xu and Nida it is set when we first meet Nida which is when we gain control of Balamb garden, I hope you enjoy it!**

**Knowledge: The sum of what is known, the body of truth, information, and principles acquired by mankind.**

When I think of how I got to the position I am in today the answer is crystal clear, knowledge.

I've always been smart maybe too smart for my own good, I stood out in the orphanage, always had my nose stuck in a book or was scribbling something on a piece of paper, some days I just sat and imagined things, dreaming of belonging to a family, of meeting the perfect man, of marrying…But that wasn't meant to be.

I don't have a family, the ones I call my family are Cid and Edea Kramer, them and my best friend Quistis who is like a sister to me.

I never met my perfect man either, or got married, and even the family thing didn't last. I'm twenty two now, Quistis was fired from being an instructor and she now spends time with the rest of her squad: Squall, Rinoa, Selphie, Irvine and Zell.

Cid is lost in his own world we are at war against his beloved wife Edea, she is an evil sorceress reigning over Galbadia we only just managed to avoid the missiles she sent our way. As for the perfect man, don't even ask I've given up, what's the point.

The only thing I have left is my knowledge, just as I had back in the orphanage.

Nobody has ever taken me seriously, I always got left out, everyone were in their own little groups of friends giggling and sharing secrets and I was sat in the library reading about other worlds, writing my own stories, creating fictional characters. In my dream world I was Nancy Drew solving all of the mysteries, I was Buffy staking vampires for a living, I attended Sweet Valley High and was the best friend of Elizabeth, and in the end I had a man who catered to my every need, I was a person.

The day when Cid asked me to be a SeeD was the best day of my life. I passed the exam with flying colours of course, didn't get one single point deducted. I worked hard at the missions and in my spare time killing monster and monster in the training ground. Then I was noticed. The other kids respected me, girls invited me out for coffee in the cafeteria and I'd dream up a story for each of them all where they got their happy ending. The boys started to notice me as I grew curvy hips and finally got breasts. I was adored.

Cid asked me to become an instructor and every student assigned to my group became a SeeD. I even became the Cgroup champion beating everyone in cards, even the formidable Doctor Kadowaki.

But then things started to change Quistis started to get obsessed with a student, Squall Leonheart. I couldn't understand it at all, how could she fall for a student and why him of all people Mr silent brooder?

I tried talking to her about it but she shut me out now I'm lucky if she even acknowledges me. I sit in my favourite place at the top of Balamb garden. I absorb all of the breathtaking scenery and I study. I make maps including contours and climates. I study mechanics to help Nida steer the garden. I draw pictures of everything I've seen and I keep a journal of everything that's happened and everything I've met, and of course I read. Every day reading a new book. That is my haven, when things start to get tough if I'm not required for anything I disappear within the yellowing pages of a novel. I anticipate what is going to happen and sometimes I write alternate endings.

Today is different though. I have no time to visit the library because I too have met a boy. He is called Nida, he's constantly asking me to research things but I think he does it to give me something to do. Sometimes he let's me steer the garden and when it's nightfall and we can no longer see he takes me out. We go dancing and sometimes we even visit the library together. We play cards and I always win (sometimes I think he lets me though) and we tell each other stories. He's a little older than me but it's nice. He tells me what it is like to belong to a family, tells me about his favourite books, he even reads my stories, and…he tells me I'm the smartest, most beautiful female he's ever met.

Today I don't have time to read or write, because we're going out. We are going to get some food and we are going to drink fruity cocktails with teeny umbrella's, then we're going to lay in the night and watch the stars.

The temperature has definitely dropped by around 4.8 degrees approximately, the wind is blowing east and there is a full moon which means we have to avoid the ocean as it will be choppy.

He's given me his coat and we are walking around the garden late at night, he's pulling me towards the shadows and I can see his face shining in the moonlight, his chiselled jaw line, his dark alluring eyes, his soft hair.

And then he's kissing me and it's perfect.

Because he doesn't fit in either, and he's super intelligent as well, and you know what he looks most for in a woman? Knowledge.


	3. Chapter 3

Final fantasy 8 word challenge!

**A/N - Hey guy's finally got around to updating again, this chapter is written by my good friend PromiseInTheRain and the word is love, hope you all enjoy it and please take the time to review, it would be very much appreciated **

**Love: Love is that first feeling before all of the bad stuff get's in the way.**

When Laguna was asked about love there were always two women who sprung to his mind, Julia and Raine.

Julia was beautiful, ambitious, and very talented. But Raine was pretty, caring, strong, and well, quite frankly, she had the most gorgeous smile Laguna had ever seen…

"Uncle Laguna, do yoo like my dress?"

Laguna smiled wide at the little brunette as she spun around in a white sheet.

"Ellone, you look stunning," Laguna grinned.

Ellone returned his smile and ran towards him, clutching the sheet at her hip and shoulders with her tiny hands. "Will yoo help me pick some flowers for my hair?" She asked.

"Of course I will!" Laguna carried the little girl to the field and began picking white flowers and braiding them (or at least, attempting to) into her hair.

Ellone began picking bright colored daisies and humming a soft tune and Laguna couldn't help but smile, Ellone never once failed to make him smile, she really was adorable.

"So why are you dressing up all fancy, Ellone?" Laguna asked, twisting Ellone's hair around the stem of a lily.

"Because, Uncle Laguna," Ellone said with a hint of sass Laguna couldn't help but smile at, "I'm getting married!"

Laguna picked Ellone up and sat her on his lap. "Married? At your age?"

Ellone giggled.

"Well, he'd better be very special," Laguna teased.

Ellone's face lit up as she began describing her fantasy. "He's very special. He's a prince! He lives in a big castle with six white horses. He loves me very much."

Laguna smiled. Ellone was just so cute!

"Uncle Laguna?"

Laguna looked down at the child in his lap, who stared back at him with big brown eyes.

"Hmm?" Laguna hummed.

"Do yoo love Raine?"

Laguna's smile faltered and he felt his leg begin to cramp up. But, he managed to put on a cocky grin and tilt his head slightly to the side. "I dunno, Ellone. What is love?"

"Hmmm..." Ellone scrunched up her face in thought and stared at her bouquet. She must have been thinking for a good five minutes, Laguna thought, before she came up with an answer. "Well, love is when yoo want to be with another person every day, and even if they do something that makes yoo mad, yoo still like them because they are special, and they always make yoo smile."

Ellone turned back to Laguna, expecting an answer.

Laguna thought for a moment. *Is that what love is? Ellone's really little. I wouldn't expect her to fully understand. Then again, her description of love - it's really quite clever. It just makes sense. Man, she really is a smart kid.*

"Well..."

"Laguna! Ellone! What's going on?"

Laguna and Ellone turned their heads first at each other, then in the direction of Raine's voice.

"I'm getting ready for my wedding!" Ellone exclaimed.

"Ellone, that's my best sheet... now it's covered in dirt and grass," Raine sighed.

"Don't get mad at her, Raine. It was kind of my fault. I'm the one who brought her out here," Laguna said, putting on his best pout.

"Don't worry," said Raine, "you'll take your fair share of the blame when we get home."

Laguna looked at Ellone, who looked back at him, worried. He smiled, and she returned it without hesitation.

"I'm sorry, Raine," he said, turning back to the young woman in front of him. "I'm going to go right home and wash the sheet as soon as I marry Ellone to her prince!"

Raine gave him a quizzical look, then sighed, shaking her head. "Alright. But be home in twenty minutes, okay?"

"Yayyy!" Ellone exclaimed, twirling around with glee. Laguna grinned at Raine, and she couldn't help but let the corners of her mouth turn up into a resigned smile before heading back to the house.

"I think Raine loves yoo, Uncle Laguna."

Laguna watched as Raine walked elegantly out of sight, still sporting his signature smile. "Ya'know what, Ellone?" he said, turning around and kneeling so that he was about her height. "I think I just may love her back."


	4. Chapter 4

**Final fantasy 8 word challenge!**

**Hey, everyone back to me again, just wanted to thank everyone for reviewing both mine and PromiseInTheRain's work it is truly a pleasure to work with her **** Anyways on with the next word I have been given Serenity, couldn't resist a Squinoa chapter so here goes it in Squall's perspective, I hope you enjoy it!**

**Serenity: The quality or state of being serene.**

…Where am I? I'm surrounded by darkness, I can't see anything, I can't feel anything, can't hear anything…I'm scared.

_I'm scared Rinoa._

"Rinoa? Help me!" I call into the darkness, there is no reply, only a daunting silence which terrifies me even more.

I've always been a dweller, never sleeping, only tossing and turning in the night haunted by fragmented memories of an unknown past.

"Irvine, Selphie, Quistis, Zell!" I scream.

There is still no response, I'm trapped here, suspended in the darkness, unable to move, this is pure torture, I think back to Ultimecia's castle, the battle, the time compression, that's it.

_I'm don't want to lose you._

I'm trapped in time, forgotten, forever lost in a secret realm of darkness.

I try to move but the darkness clings to me, long, sticky strings of darkness, my muscles ache from the effort of trying to move and my body feels like it's shutting down, my mind remains awake, tormenting me of what might happen.

My face is wet and I realise that tears are running down my face.

I think of Rinoa, of her long, dark hair with caramel highlights, her dark mischievous eyes and her childish yet beautiful personality.

_I'm dying Rinoa._

The tears fall faster I can't bear to leave her alone, I want to fight, she's given me something to fight for, but I'm not strong enough.

My body's weak and my eyelid's grow heavy like lead, and start to flutter close…Then see a shadow it looks just like her.

Her face is etched with worry and the darkness begins to clear but it's too late.

I'm falling backwards into the darkness and into unconsciousness.

_I'm sorry Rinoa…_

Something's wet on my face, Rinoa's tears? There's a huge gust of wind and I can feel arms around me holding me tight, and we are forced forwards, propelled through this realm, my only comfort is that I can smell her…

I'm remember now. I am Squall Leonheart, I'm in love with Rinoa Heartilly, I have friends, Selphie, Irvine, Quistis, Zell, we defeated Ultimecia…

My eyes open and the wind makes my eyes water. I squeeze them shut and hope with everything I have. I hope.

We're here. Everything stops and I lie in the soft grass of a field.

My head is cradled by her hands and I finally open my eyes.

This place is surreal there is only one word Ican think to describe it.

Serene, this is what they call serenity, the quality or state of being serene, where one truly is content and everything is perfect.

The sky is a perfect shade of blue and huge white fluffy clouds drift idly by, there is a light breeze which is blowing a thousand pink petals across the sky.

Rinoa catches one and it turns from a single petal into a beautiful blossom.

Rinoa is smiling, her face lit up and I smile back, the pain is gone and it's just me and her.

She pulls me up and we spin and twirl through the field laughing and smiling at each other in utter adoration, it is true perfection.

_I'm alive._

We have to get back, everyone is waiting and Rinoa concentrates and we are back at the garden.

Night has fallen quickly and the garden is full of celebration, we are greeted by our friends and my heart is filled with joy, I'm relieved that everyone is safe.

Selphie and Irvine charge to the dance floor a flurry of brown hair and bright colours and even Zell dances with Quistis.

I look at Rinoa and raise one finger just like she did when we first met, offering myself to her willing to humiliate myself just for her.

She shakes her head and leads me outside, into what really is paradise.

The sky is midnight blue and littered with tiny stars, twinkling gems in a realm of darkness.

The moon lights up the scene, a huge swollen ten pence piece against a backdrop of black velvet.

Rinoa pulls me towards the balcony and a single shooting star dances through the sky.

_I wish to be together with you forever Rin._

She turns to me and I cradle her beautiful face in my hands, our lips meet and we kiss for the first time.

I'm lost in Rinoa as warmth tingles through me and her small hands close over mine briefly before resting on my chest pulling me closer.

I was wrong, the field was merely a warm up.

This is serenity and it's the best thing I have ever experienced…


	5. Chapter 5

**Final fantasy word challenge!**

**A/N - Hey everyone, sorry for the late update, my fault due to lack of internet.**

**This next chapter is written by my friend PromiseInTheRain and the word is Courage, it's in Irvine's point of view and as always don't forget to drop her a review! **

**Courage - Courage (-mean mental or moral strength to resist opposition, danger, or hardship. courage implies firmness of mind and will in the face of danger or extreme difficulty the courage to support unpopular causes. mettle suggests an ingrained capacity for meeting strain or difficulty with fortitude and resilience a challenge that will test your mettle. spirit also suggests a quality of temperament enabling one to hold one's own or keep up one's morale when opposed or threatened her spirit was unbroken by failure. resolution stresses firm determination to achieve one's ends the resolution of pioneer women. tenacity adds to resolution implications of stubborn persistence and unwillingness to admit defeat held to their beliefs with great tenacity.), **

I do my best to make people think of me as a tough, care-free, courageous guy. Hell, I even tricked myself for a while.

"Irvine, I'm sending you on a mission with some SeeDs from Balamb. Your job is to shoot down Sorceress Edea."

No problem.

Only, it was a problem…

Squall, Rinoa and I sat on top of the huge clock tower in Deling City, waiting for our cue. At precisely 20:00, I was to shoot the Sorceress. When I saw the rifle waiting for me at my perch, the first thing that came to mind was excitement.

The second thing, as I picked up the gun and felt it's weight, was terror…

As I knelt down, I hid my face and drowned out the sounds of Squall as he talked to Rinoa about Seifer. My head down, I began to evaluate the situation for the first time since I had been given my mission.

Why, exactly, was I so calm about this? Think, Irvine. What exactly have you been told to do? I realized that this was huge. I wasn't being told to assassinate just anybody, which alone was a pretty big deal, this was Sorceress Edea. _*Matron* _Edea. She cared for me as a child. Am I really _just _noticing the enormity in this? She's a human being! A kind, caring person, who told me I could be whatever I wanted. Who would of thought that those words would bring me to this moment?

I take a second to glance up at Squall. He doesn't even remember. Not me, not Edea, nothing. There's no guilt on his face. He looks nervous, but he has reason to be. And I know it isn't the same reason as me. Why couldn't any of them remember? Not even Selphie, my best friend. Its like none of that ever happened. I would give anything if what was going on right now wasn't happening.

"Irvine, are you alright?"

My head down, I hadn't noticed Squall approach me. I jumped slightly, but kept my head down.

"I... I can't do this..." I muttered feeling a cold sweat coat my body.

Outside, the sounds of the parade that was being held for Edea echoed throughout the city. What seemed to be all fun and excitement would soon turn into terror. All because of me. It would be my fault.

Squall took a deep breath and cleared his throat. I looked at him, and saw that he seemed fairly calm.

I felt the terror on my face. And Squall took notice of it as well. Still, he remained calm. That must be it. He wasn't just some miserable, brooding, antisocial jerk. He was something else, besides that. Something I definitely had to be right about now. He was courageous.

"Irvine," he began, noticing my shaking hands, "we have our orders. Should you fail, we are to attack the Sorceress head on. So even if you miss, we can still end this. Just stay calm, alright?"

I didn't look up, my eyes focused on my trembling hands.

"Irvine, the sorceress killed the president. With this much power, we are only hours away from another Sorceress war. Children lost their parents in that war, Irvine..."

Squall let his voice fade. I know far better than him just how many kids were orphaned. But that's not going to happen this time. I cocked my gun and lifted my head so that my hat fell dramatically right above my eyes.

"Sorry, Squall," I said. "You're probably looking forward to fighting at short-range, but I never miss my target."

As the clock reached 20:00, the room we were stationed in began to rise. I had a clear shot, and I was ready to take it.

Because Squall's courage had rubbed off on me. His words had somehow helped me remember something Matron had told me. "In the end, everything will be okay."

Which is exactly what I told myself when I pulled the trigger.


	6. Chapter 6

**Final fantasy 8 word challenge**

**A/N Hey everyone and welcome back hope you're all enjoying the story so far, we're not far off finishing now **** which is sad, but good as well in a way because we can start on more projects (hopefully a sequel to this challenge), so this chapter, is done my me and my word is bloom, this is in Selphie's point of view so I hope you like it!**

**Bloom**

**Noun:**

**1) A flower especially one cultivated for it's beauty**

**2) A mass of iron, steel or other metal hammered or rolled into a thick bar for working.**

**Verb: To produce flowers, to be in flower.**

It's mid afternoon I think, we escaped from the D-district prison which we were imprisoned in after attempting to assassinate the sorceress and now we are at the missile base, Zell, Quistis and I and we are about to die.

Here's a little information about me for those who don't know who I am.

My name is Selphie Tillmitt, I have light brown hair and green eyes, I'm very small for my age but everyone says I definitely make up for that with how loud I tend to be.

I have a hopeless crush on Irvine (I don't think he knows) and I love getting involved in extra curricular activities such as the Garden festival committee.

That's pretty much it about me, there's nothing special about me not really, not compared to the others.

I mean first there's Squall, silent, brooding Squall, he's moody and quiet and pretends that he doesn't care about anybody, although we all know that's not true.

He's really strong, strong enough to handle a gun blade!

He's brave and an excellent leader, he always rounds us up with no nonsense and leads us fearlessly into battle.

Then there's Rinoa, beautiful, kind Rinoa.

She's a lot like me with her childish and mischievous personality and if I wasn't about to die I just know that we would have been good friends.

She's also very brave and she often thinks up good ideas (even if they aren't always the most practical), she takes care of her friends too and she refuses to give up being brilliant at magic, I mean she's the leader of the forest owls! She wants to liberate Timber no matter what!

Then there's Irvine, gorgeous, beautiful, hunky Irvine!  
He's this super famous sharp shooter, he can hit anything with his rifle, and I mean anything, it's literally impossible for him to miss his target.

That leaves Zell, Quistis and me.

Quistis used to be an instructor but got fired. Cid said it was because she lacked leadership skills but that's a lie, we all know that it's because she couldn't control Seifer, I'd like to see Cid control Seifer!

Zell is a lot like me, full of energy always ready to rumble, sometimes he let's his emotions get in the way, but now he's very still it's almost scary.

We managed to blow up the missile base, it's in the process of self destructing, the problem is that those tricky Galbadian soldiers have sealed us in.

The fences around us are sky high and are electrically wired just to stop us from climbing out.

The missile base is locked and there's no way in hell we can get back outside.

It's pure torture watching all of the Galbadian soldier's climb into their tanks and drive away, some even wave at us which naturally infuriates Zell.

We have three minutes to get out or get blown up.

After a solid look around, I close my eyes and try my best to blink back the tears.

"Do you think…that Squall put us here because he thought we were burden's?" asks Quistis sadly.

Zell's face falls and I realise that they are relying on me to be the real Selphie Tillmitt.

Selphie Tillmitt maybe clumsy but I have a use.

Squall wouldn't have put me here if he thought I was useless he'd have made me go with him, the fact that he was willing to split the team shows he believes in us.

I am not Selphie Tillmitt, the useless, clumsy clown.

I am Selphie Tillmitt the computer genius, the high spirited female, the passionate magic user.

I have determination, I have brains, I am _not _useless!

I try to ignore my two party members who are being pretty useless at this moment in time.

Quistis is drawing pictures in the dirt, Zell bouncing around yelling.

They start yelling at each other and then suddenly hug sharing happy memories.

I can't watch this, _my _happy memories take place in Trabia Garden, and I've just watched the missiles go off to hit it, and we have little time before will get blown up and then…

I don't want to think about it.

I spin around looking for anything we can use as shelter, preferably metal.

Then I see it, it's the robot which we defeated earlier, the soldier's slumped unconscious outside!

"Quistis! Zell!" I yell excitedly.

"Sit down Selphie, when you're about to die the best thing to do is share happy memories with each other." says Quistis.

"Yeah, we died on the battlefield, maybe my name will be carved into a Cenotaph at the garden!" says Zell excitedly.

I Roll my eyes irritated as they try and drag me to the ground with them.

"Stop it! Get up quickly our time's running out!" I shout startling them.

"Selphie…" says Quistis, they both stare at me sad looks on their faces, they think I'm worked up about dying.

"Guys we can stay alive but we need to move right now!" I exclaim.

They look at me their faces hopeful and excited.

I lead them over to the huge robot and they squeal in anticipation.

Zell helps Quistis inside and I clamber in ordering them to heave the huge door shut sealing us inside, and to black up any damage we had created.

I rush to the control panel, I have no time to feel secure and all I can do is punch buttons and hope that my abilities can save us all.

Thankfully I manage to program the computer and it's in full protection mode.

There is clang as another fireproof wall encases the robot.

It's just finished covering us when…CRASH!

The missile base is blown up and I cling to a metal handle hoping that I've done it that we are all alive.

When the shaking and noise subsides I climb to my feet unsteadily.

Zell has a cut on his head from when he was thrown into the wall and Quistis has hurt her leg, but none of the matters because we're alive.

I smile to myself, I don't feel useless anymore.

I may be clumsy but I just used a computer to save three lives including my own.

I am Selphie Tilmitt and I have bloomed into a genius!


	7. Chapter 7

**Final Fantasy 8 w****o****rd challenge!**

**A/N - Hey every****o****ne s****o****rry f****o****r such a late update, c****o****llege just l****o****ves getting in the way ****o****f things. This piece is written by my g****oo****d friend Pr****o****miseInTheRain, and is in Zell's p****o****int ****o****f view and the w****o****rd is Live, enj****o****y and d****o****n't f****o****rget t****o**** review!**

**Live - ****verb (used without object)**

**1****) T****o have life, as an organism; be alive; be capable of vital functions: all things that live.**

**2****) T****o continue to have life; remain alive: to live to a ripe old age.**

**3****) T****o continue in existence, operation, memory, etc.; last: a book that lives in my memory.**

**4****) T****o maintain or support one's existence; provide for oneself: to live on one's income.**

**5****) T****o feed or subsist (usually followed by on or upon ): to live on rice and bananas**

I clenched my fists; my palms were sweating like crazy!

Normally, my gloves would have reduced the moisture, but I left those home for the occasion. There I was, about to go into the biggest, most frightening moment of my life, completely unarmed…

I took a moment to look at the people sitting in the front row, watching me. First, there was Ma. She was smiling and had to keep wiping her eyes with a handkerchief.

Next to her sat Rinoa with the twins. The only reason Squall was absent was because he was standing next to me. Rinoa sat both the girls on her lap. It fascinated me how small they were - Rinoa's lap wasn't even that big to begin with!

Rinoa caught my eye and winked.

Irvine and Selphie sat next to her. They were already married with a kid on the way. That made me a little less nervous. If Irvine, of all people, could tie himself down, for God's sake, so could I!

Sitting next to them was Quistis with her boyfriend. He used to be an Esthar soldier until he suffered a head injury. It was tragic, but by the looks of it, he was going to find his happy ending.

The orchestra began to play. My fiancé was ready to walk down the aisle.

This is it, psyche yourself up, baby! I forced back the urge to start throwing punches to calm my nerves.

She was gorgeous. I almost didn't recognize her without her pigtail. I closed my eyes and thanked God that the two of us had met in the library that one day.

This was it. The moment I went from simply being alive, to actually living my life. Until now, my life had done nothing but prepare me for the best and worst to come. And all of it mattered and at the same time none of it did. And with all of my emotions fighting for dominance, I opened my eyes and embraced the future.

And this is where I began to live.


	8. Chapter 8

**Final fantasy 8 word challenge!**

**A/N - Hey everyone, hope you're all still enjoying this project, you're all stuck with me for this chapter so I hope I can provide you with at least a little entertainment.**

**My word for this chapter is hope and it is in Ellone's perspective.**

**I hope you all enjoy it and don't forget to review! **

**Hope (Noun) - The general feeling that some desire will be fulfilled.**

Do you remember when you was a child, full of energy, hope and excitement about the future?

What did hope mean to you? For many hope is religious, many believe that if you pray for something and then hope for it then it will come true, almost like a wish.

For others hope is what keeps them alive, when things are difficult and you are facing difficulties and problems that you cannot fathom, hope is what keeps a person who is facing misery alive.

For a child hope is everywhere, a child hopes that they will get a new bike for Christmas, they hope that it will be hot in summer, they hope that one day they too will be strong, powerful or beautiful just like their favourite superhero

Even teenagers hope, they hope to find a man or woman that will love them unconditionally, they hope that they will never struggle financially, they hope that they can live forever.

For a small amount of people, hope is meaningless, they've faced some many bad things in their lives that they give up hoping that someday it will all get better. They refuse to get their hopes up, saying that if they don't get their hopes up then it doesn't matter if something bad happens, that if they don't hope for their loved ones to get better, then they might be spared the pain when they die, because after all they never hoped in the first place right?

To me hope is a beautiful thing, a little hope is beautiful, a lot of hope is magical.

To me, hope and determination can make you invincible, it can bring people joy and happiness.

Hope is why we keep on fighting, hope is why we keep on trying, hope is what will help me save Raine and give Laguna his happily ever after.

Since I was a child I have always been a hopeful person, I remember when Laguna used to look after me, playing games with me, picking flowers with me.

Even as a child I could always tell that Laguna liked Raine.

He'd always get all funny around her, shy and quiet and he'd limp because his leg would cramp up, and he'd go pink in the face!  
I'd sit there and giggle and talk about them marrying until Laguna would laugh and laugh and laugh, and then we'd be late home and Raine would get cross.

I had hope when I was in the orphanage, I hoped that someday I would have a magical family who would love me lots and lots, and when I saw Matron Edea and her husband Cid hold hands and look into each other's eyes laughing I'd dream about the day when I would marry to an adoring man and have lots of little children running around our house.

When I saw the other children arrive, quiet little Squall who'd follow me around and bossy little Quisty who'd tell everyone what to do, energetic little Zell who was always over excitable and naughty Seifer who'd make Zell cry. Bouncy little Seffy who'd trail after Irvine and pretend that they were getting married, and patient Irvy who would sit and play with Selphie all day long.

When they got sad and lonely I'd tell them to hope, I'd tell them that one day if they hoped hard enough that they'd all have lots of friends and a family and they'd be strong people.

Now I'm on the white SeeD ship and we're being attacked by Galbadian soldiers who want to kidnap me, I'm hoping for a miracle.

That miracle comes true because a ship from Esthar appears and on it is Uncle Laguna and his friends Kiros and Ward they're here to save me and as I bid goodbye to my friends on the white SeeD ship I hope, that one day I'll see them again.

Then I run and jump onto Laguna's ship and I hope that one day if I use my powers just right, by showing Squall and the others the past, I might just be able to change it, so Laguna and Raine can live a happy life together, it's a big and ambitious dream to have but it might just happen, you know why?

Because I have hope.


End file.
